Welcome to Hyperion Records, an independent British classical label devoted to presenting high-quality recordings of music of all styles and from all periods from the twelfth century to the twenty-first.

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Introduction

The Votive Antiphon Salve intemerata virgo is an extended piece in honour of the Virgin Mary. Two regimes in Tallis’ lifetime required such pieces—Henry VIII’s pre-Reformation years and Mary’s restored Catholic rite. Its length and style combined with the rambling, rather complicated text clearly point to a piece for Henry. The antiphon is a great achievement with many fine and impressive moments and it is a great improvement on a rather jejune Latin four-voice Magnificat which probably pre-dates it. The earliest manuscript for the Antiphon is a single partbook dating from the late 1520s when Tallis would have been in his early twenties. He has obviously assimilated the work of Robert Fayrfax and others who excelled in the pre-Reformation style. The piece is in two main sections (the first in a triple metre and the second in a duple) and involves an alternation of sections for solo voices set against dramatic contributions from the full choir. It also includes an excellent final Amen section with a strong rhythmic impetus and a crescendo of imitation driving the listener to the final cadence.

Recordings

The music in this third Gimell anthology dedicated to Tallis comes from both early and late in his career. Separated by perhaps forty years it is hard to believe they were all written by the same man.» More

'Skilled, thoughtful performances of three great works by a marvellously trained choir' (Gramophone)‘Vivid acoustics and mellifluous phrasing in the plainsong pieces evoke a calming contemplative atmosphere. The exemplary tonal finesse and beautifull ...» More

The Cardinall’s Musick and Andrew Carwood continue their exploration of the sacred music of the acknowledged master of the Tudor era, Thomas Tallis. This project follows the completion of their multi-award-winning Byrd series.» More

Including Spem in alium as featured in 'Fifty Shades of Grey'. The author, E L James, said: 'I am delighted to have introduced so many of my readers to this amazing 16th century piece of music, it is absolutely wonderful and the recording from The ...» More

This debut album recorded by Chapel du Roi is the first in a series of nine covering the complete works of Thomas Tallis (c.1505-1585). Not for nothing is Tallis known as the 'father of church music'—with his colleagues at the Chapel Royal he crea ...» More

Hail, O chaste maiden Mary, mother of the Son of God,
chosen before other maidens, who from the womb of your mother,
the most holy woman Anne, were thus both sanctified
and enlightened by the Holy Spirit,
and very greatly strengthened by the grace of almighty God,
so that up to the conception of your Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
and while you conceived him,
and until the birth, and while you brought him forth,
and ever after the birth, you remained in body and soul,
for your whole life, the most chaste,
incorrupt and unblemished
maiden of all maidens born.

You incontestably far surpassed in true innocence
of mental purity all other maidens,
both those who had been here since the very beginning
of the world and those who shall be until the ending of the world.

On account of these most excellent gifts of heavenly grace
given to you, O maiden and mother, Mary,
uniquely instilled by God in preference
to all other women and maidens:

We beg you, who are the merciful protector
of wretched mortals, that you will deign to intercede
for the forgiveness of our sins
before God the almighty Father and his Son,
Jesus Christ who in his divinity was born
of the Father before all worlds.

In his humanity he was born of you,
and before the Holy Spirit:
so that, the stains of our sins having been washed away
by your intercession, holy virgin, we may deserve to rejoice
with you, and sing praises without end in the kingdom of heaven.
Amen.

Hail, O chaste maiden Mary, mother of the Son of God,
chosen before other maidens, who from the womb of your mother,
the most holy woman Anne, were thus both sanctified
and enlightened by the Holy Spirit,
and very greatly strengthened by the grace of almighty God,
so that up to the conception of your Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
and while you conceived him,
and until the birth, and while you brought him forth,
and ever after the birth, you remained in body and soul,
for your whole life, the most chaste,
incorrupt and unblemished
maiden of all maidens born.

You incontestably far surpassed in true innocence
of mental purity all other maidens,
both those who had been here since the very beginning
of the world and those who shall be until the ending of the world.

On account of these most excellent gifts of heavenly grace
given to you, O maiden and mother, Mary,
uniquely instilled by God in preference
to all other women and maidens:

We beg you, who are the merciful protector
of wretched mortals, that you will deign to intercede
for the forgiveness of our sins
before God the almighty Father and his Son,
Jesus Christ who in his divinity was born
of the Father before all worlds.

In his humanity he was born of you,
and before the Holy Spirit:
so that, the stains of our sins having been washed away
by your intercession, holy virgin, we may deserve to rejoice
with you, and sing praises without end in the kingdom of heaven.
Amen.

Hail, O chaste maiden Mary, mother of the Son of God,
chosen before other maidens, who from the womb of your mother,
the most holy woman Anne, were thus both sanctified
and enlightened by the Holy Spirit,
and very greatly strengthened by the grace of almighty God,
so that up to the conception of your Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
and while you conceived him,
and until the birth, and while you brought him forth,
and ever after the birth, you remained in body and soul,
for your whole life, the most chaste,
incorrupt and unblemished
maiden of all maidens born.

You incontestably far surpassed in true innocence
of mental purity all other maidens,
both those who had been here since the very beginning
of the world and those who shall be until the ending of the world.

On account of these most excellent gifts of heavenly grace
given to you, O maiden and mother, Mary,
uniquely instilled by God in preference
to all other women and maidens:

We beg you, who are the merciful protector
of wretched mortals, that you will deign to intercede
for the forgiveness of our sins
before God the almighty Father and his Son,
Jesus Christ who in his divinity was born
of the Father before all worlds.

In his humanity he was born of you,
and before the Holy Spirit:
so that, the stains of our sins having been washed away
by your intercession, holy virgin, we may deserve to rejoice
with you, and sing praises without end in the kingdom of heaven.
Amen.

Hail, O chaste maiden Mary, mother of the Son of God,
chosen before other maidens, who from the womb of your mother,
the most holy woman Anne, were thus both sanctified
and enlightened by the Holy Spirit,
and very greatly strengthened by the grace of almighty God,
so that up to the conception of your Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
and while you conceived him,
and until the birth, and while you brought him forth,
and ever after the birth, you remained in body and soul,
for your whole life, the most chaste,
incorrupt and unblemished
maiden of all maidens born.

You incontestably far surpassed in true innocence
of mental purity all other maidens,
both those who had been here since the very beginning
of the world and those who shall be until the ending of the world.

On account of these most excellent gifts of heavenly grace
given to you, O maiden and mother, Mary,
uniquely instilled by God in preference
to all other women and maidens:

We beg you, who are the merciful protector
of wretched mortals, that you will deign to intercede
for the forgiveness of our sins
before God the almighty Father and his Son,
Jesus Christ who in his divinity was born
of the Father before all worlds.

In his humanity he was born of you,
and before the Holy Spirit:
so that, the stains of our sins having been washed away
by your intercession, holy virgin, we may deserve to rejoice
with you, and sing praises without end in the kingdom of heaven.
Amen.